After ending the regular season in fine form, the Gilmour Academy boys prep hockey team will open postseason action this weekend.
The Lancers will be competing in the Mid-American District Tournament, which begins Thursday, March 4 and runs through Sunday, March 7. The winner of the six-team tournament will earn an automatic bid to the USA Hockey National Tournament, which features the best 18U teams and players in the country.
"The District Tournament is one of the premier events on our schedule each year," head coach Michael Chiellino said. "It typically provides a lot of exposure with scouts in attendance and provides opportunities to compete with the most competitive teams in our five-state district."
The Mid-Am District includes teams from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The tournament is being held at the OhioHealth Chiller North complex on the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio.
Each team will play three round-robin games with the top two teams then advancing to face off in a championship contest.
Gilmour will begin action in the tournament by facing Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The Lancers will then face the Esmark Stars Friday afternoon (2:30 p.m.) before closing round-robin action with a matchup against Tri-State Spartans Saturday afternoon (4:30 p.m.). The championship game is set for Sunday at noon.
Forwards Tanyon Bajzer '21 and Dylan Dekoe '21 have been two of the team's leaders on the ice. Bajzer owns 36 points (15g, 21a) on the season while Dekoe is right behind with 35 (19g, 16a).
Forward Charles Tuggey '21 leads the team in scoring overall, with a team-best 50 points on 22 goals and 28 assists. Nathan Dowling '22 has also helped significantly on the attack with 38 points on the strength of 16 goals and 22 assists.
Landon Peterson '21 has been a big presence on the defensive end for Gilmour, contributing 10 points on the season. Hadyn Gould '22 has served as the Lancers' top goaltender recently. He owns a .900 save percentage and is averaging 25 stops per game.
Gilmour ended the regular season with a flourish, winning seven of its final eight games, often with notable offensive performances. The Lancers have outscored their opposition by a cumulative 40-16 margin during their past eight games.
"We have been playing some of our best hockey lately and have had incredible practices leading up to this event so we feel like we are prepared," Chiellino said. "The boys are excited for the opportunity to compete and hopefully try and earn a bid to the USA Hockey National Tournament."
#GoGA #WeAreGilmour